Skate for railroad cars



July 19, 1960 s. J. BECK SKATE: RoR RAILROAD CARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. l0, 1958 INVENTOR.

RVNR R t d. \\\m w R um Q\ Q Nm NNQ I BY I Y L i A TTORN July 19, 1960' '5. 1. BECK 2,945,455

SKATE FOR RAILROAD CARS Filed NOV. l0, 1958 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 r 5 H "uuml Inl.. L20 22 E 1N VENTOR.

ATmRN July 19, 1960 s. J. BECK 2,945,455

SKATE FOR RAILROAD CARS Filed Nov. l0, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 E INVENTOR.

BY A

arme/ve Unite rates Patent n(nl) SKATE FOR RAILROAD CARS Samuel Jones Beck, McLouth, Kans., assigner to Clem W. Fairchild, trustee, Kansas City, Mo.

Filed Nov. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 772,763

9 Claims. (Cl. 104-259) This invention relates to railway skates and is a continuation-in-part of my copending applications Serial No. 566,407, led February 20, 1956, and Serial No. 762,195, led September 15, 1958, the latter application having matured into Patent No. 2,874,645, February 24, 1959. It is the primary object of the instant invention to provide a skate that will remain on the rail and not likely be knocked therefrom by the impact of the car wheel as the latter rolls onto the skid bar forming a part of the skate and against a head disposed for abutment by the wheel.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a railway skate that will clear frogs and other obstructions on either or both sides of the rail as the skate slides therealong without damage thereto, without likelihood of derailment of the car, and without damage to such frogs or other obstructions.

Still another object of the present invention is to incorporate in a single skate all of the aforementioned advantages including frog clearance and skate guidance.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View, parts being broken away for clearness, showing a skate for railroad cars made pursuant to my present invention operably mounted on a rail in position for receiving a car wheel.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the skate on the rail.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed crosssectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l.

' Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the wheel on the skate.

' Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, plan view of the skate showing the position of the parts when the wheel is on the skate in the manner shown by Fig. 4, parts being broken away for clearness.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the skate entirely removed from the rail illustrating the position of the parts after the skate has skidded through a frog.

Fig. 7 is a vertical, cross-sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on irregular line 8 8 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, vertical, cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 6. As is evident from Fig. l of the drawings, the railway skate 10 of the instant invention is mounted on the upper surface 12 of a rail 14 when it is desired to brake a car wheel 16 by virtue of the latter rolling onto the skate 10, supported by an elongated skid bar 18 forming a part of the skate 10. More particularly, the wheel 16 rolls upon a ramplike tongue 26 that is attached to the bar 18 through the medium of a transverse pivot pin 22.

When the wheel 16 is fully supported by the skate 10, abutting a head 24 of the skate 10 as demonstrated in Fig. 4, the wheel 16 rests on a rear portion 26 of the tongue 20, tipping the latter about the pivot 22 to raise the ramp' endv of the tongue 211 off the surface 12 of rail 14, again 'as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. Hence, as

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the wheel 16 and the skate 10 continue movement together as a unit along the track 14, the lower face of bar 18 slides on the surface 12 and all obstructions, such as joints in the rails, are cleared by virtue of an upwardly beveled leading end 28 forming an integral part of the bar 18.

A pair of opposed front guides 30 and 32, a pair of opposed rear guides 34 and 36, and a pair of intermediate jaws 38 and 40, are all normally disposed in embracing relationship to the sides 42 of the rail 14, particularly when the skate 10 is operably mounted on the rail 14 within the path of travel ofthe wheel 16 as shown in Fig. l. YOnly slight clearance need be provided for the rail 14 between the guides 30 and 32 and between the guides 34 and 36, but initially, the jaws 38 and 40, which form a part of a clamp broadly designated by the numeral 44, are yieldably held in engagement with the sides 42 of rail 14 by a spring 46 which interconnects the jaws 38 and 40 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2.

The guides 30 and 32 are carried by the bar 18 for vertical swinging movement through the medium of a transverse pin 48 supported by spaced, upstanding lugs 50 integral with the bar 18 forwardly of the jaws 38 and 40. Ratchet plates 52 on the pin 48 mesh with corresponding ratchet teeth on the guides 30 and 32, and

. spring 54 coiled about the pin 48, yieldably biases the plates 52 apart and into operative engagement with corresponding guides 30 andV 32. Lateral displacement or movement of the guides 30 and 32 as they swing vertically about the pivot pin 48, is prevented by virtue of upstanding fingers 56 integral with the bar 18 and received by corresponding notches 58 in the guides 30 and 32.

The guides 34 and 36 are similarly mounted on the complemental ratchet teeth of the guides 34 and 36.

Fig. l of the drawings illustrates the way in 4which the plates 66 bear against the upper surface of the bar 18 so that such plates will not rotate about the pin 60, and manifestly, the plates 52 bear against the bar 18 in the same manner and for the same purpose with respect to the pin 48.

The abutment or head 24 is supported integrally by the bar 18 thereabove, through a front, substantially vertical web 68 and by a somewhat inclined web 70, the space therebetween clearing the spring 46. Av handle 72 on the web and joining with the bar 18 adjacent the pin 60, facilitates carrying of the skate 10.

Fingers 74 forming a part of the guides 34 and 36, slide within corresponding grooves 76 in the web 70 to restrain the guides 34 and 36 against lateral displacement as such guides swing vertically about the pivot pin 60.

The jaws 38 and 40 of the clamp 44 are mounted on guides 34 and 36 respectively, in a novel manner, it being noted rst that each guide 34-36 has a cavity 78 in the outer face thereof which opens longitudinally of the sk-ate toward the lugs 50 and which is substantially triangular, terminating at the closed end thereof in a deeper socket 80 (see Fig. 5) within each guide 34-36.

The jaws 38 and 40 tit complementally within the cavities 78 and have terminal ends in the nature of hooks 82 that lock in the sockets 80. This constitutes the sole means of attachment of the jaws 38 and 40 to the corresponding guides 34 and 36, and upon removal of the spring 46, the clamp 44 is easily and quickly disassembled. It is to be noted at this juncture that the interlocking hook 82 and socket 80 arrangement permits horizontal Swinging movement of the jaws 38 and40 toward andv 3 away from each other with respect to the guides 34 and 36. However, since spring 46 always holds the jaws 38 and 40 within the cavities 78, the jaws 38 and 40 cannot swing vertically with respect to their corresponding guides 34 and 36.

The web 68 has an elevational configuration substantially `as depicted by Fig. 9, in that there is provided a pair of opposed wings 84 having an arcuate cam edge 86 and a straight, downwardly-facing edge 88. By the same token, each of the jaws 38 and 40 is provided with a fore and aft, inwardly extending rib 90 that normally locks beneath the corresponding edge 88. A rail-engaging boss 92 on each jaw 38 and 40 at the lowermost ends of the latter, has a recess 94 therein which engages the corresponding edge 88 when the jaws are swung upwardly as, for example, in the manner depicted in Figs. 6 and 9 with respect to jaw 40. The ribs 90 slide upwardly and inwardly along the edges 86 upon actuation by a frog or the like as will hereafter be made clear.

When the parts thus far described are positioned as shown in Figs. l and 2, the jaw 38 is also locked with the guides 30 and 34 and the jaw 40 is similarly locked with the guides 32 and 36. This is accomplished by virtue of a notch 96 in each jaw 38 and 40 respectively, and an ear 9S on each guide 30 and 32 respectively. Note in Fig. l that the ears 98 are received by the notches 96.

The transverse notches 96 are formed in inwardly extending bosses 100 (see Fig. 7) integral with the jaws 38 and 40, and which are engaged by a trip 102 and particularly by a spreader head 104 thereon when the wheel 16 rolls onto the skate 10 and just prior to its engagement with head 24. The wheel 16 bears downwardly against an edge 106 on shank 108 of trip 102, and the latter is carried by the bar 18 for vertical swinging movement through the medium of lateral pins 110 on that end of shank 108 opposite to head 104 thereof. Pins 110 are journalled beneath overhanging lips 112 integral with the bar 18 and spaced above the upper surface of the latter, thereby rendering the entire trip 102 readily removable.

Head 104 has a vertical notch 114 which receives a rib 116 on the web 68 to guide the trip 102 in its vertical movement. A removable fastener or stop 113 secured to the rib 116, limits the extent of upward swinging movement of the head 104 and thereby prevents accidental detachment of the trip 102 from the skate 10. A clearance notch 120 is provided in the shank 10S immediately beneath edge 106 for the pin 48 and its spring 54.

In use, the skate is placed on the track 14 by grasping handle 72 and the jaws 38 and 40 may be swung downwardly to a position where bosses 92 engage the sides 42 of rail 14 by grasping handles 122.

in such condition, the guides 30, 32, 34 and 36 are also swung downwardly in embracing relationship to the sides 42 of the rail 14. Ribs 90 are locked beneath the edges 88 of the wings 84, jaws 38 and 40 are locked with the guides 34 and 36 in the cavities 78, and guides 30 and 32 are locked with the jaws 38 and 40 by virtue of the interrelationship between ears 98 and notches 96. Trip 102 is swung upwardly with head 104 thereof resting on the closely juxtaposed bosses 100, the latter being separated only by the rib 116. Therefore, the entire skate 10 is not only held in position on the rail 14 by the action of the clamp 44, but the guides .30, 32, 34 and 36 also cooperate therewith in holding the skate 10 against lateral tippinfT and maintaining the tongue 20 in proper aligned relationship to the rail 14 and to the wheel 16.

After the wheel 16 has rolled to a position supported by the skate, and more particularly upon the portion 26 of tongue 20, it presses downwardly on the edge 106 of trip 102, and thereupon abuts the head 24. When the head 104 moves downwardly between the bosses 100 to Spread the latter apart as shown best in Fig. 7, the jaws 38 and 40 are separated against the action of spring 46, thereby moving the bosses 92 out of engagement with the sides 42 of the rail 14. This releases the grip of the clamp 44 on the rail 14 and the entire skate commences skidding along the upper surface 12 of the track 14 carrying the nonrotating wheel 16 therewith. Ultimately, by virtue of the sliding of the bar 18 on the face 12 of track 14, the car is braked and, therefore, comes to rest.

In the event however, that the skate encounters a frog or other obstruction adjacent either side 42 of the rail 14, such frog will be engaged first by the corresponding guide 34 or 36, as the case may be. Referring to Fig. 6 by way of example, the engagement of the guide 36 with such frog, causes guide 36 to swing upwardly about the pin 60, ratcheting with respect to the proximal plate 66, which ratcheting is permitted by the yieldable action of spring 64.

Manifestly, since guide 36 is interlocked with jaw 40, the latter will be swung upwardly thereby to the position shown in Fig. 6. It is to be remembered that when the wheel 16 spreads the jaws 38 and 40 apart, the locking relationship between the ribs and the edges 88 was released, since the jaws 38 and 40 are free to swing horizontally within the sockets 80. It is for this reason that jaw 40 swings to the position shown in Fig. 6 in response to the upward swinging movement of the guide 36. As soon as the rib 90 of jaw 40 clears the proximal edge 88, the rib 90 engages the corresponding edge 86 and slides upwardly and inwardly therealong coming to rest in the position shown in Fig. 9 because of the engagement of boss 92 with the edge 83 in the recess 94.

The outward swinging movement of the jaws 38 and 40 as actuated by the wheel 16, also releases the guides 30 and 32 insofar as ears 98 and notches 96 are concerned. Consequently, when the guide 32 engaged the frog as shown in Fig. 6, it also swung upwardly in clearance of such frog.

It is manifest from the foregoing that the same action would occur if the frog or other obstruction were on the other side of the rail 14 such as to successively engage the guide 34, the jaw 38 and the guide 30. Still further, it is conceivable that under some circumstances, the car and, therefore, skate 10, would come to rest with all of the guides and both jaws swung upwardly, but in any event, it is a simple matter for the user of the skate 10 to reposition all of the parts as shown in Fig. 1 ready to receive the next succeeding car.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A railway skate comprising a skid bar adapted to slide along a rail when a car wheel rolls thereupon and having an upstanding head against which the wheel abuts; a pair of opposed guides normally embracing the rail, each guide being mounted on the bar for vertical swinging movement; a clamp including a pair of opposed jaws normally embracing the rail, and resilient means yieldably holding the jaws clamped against the rail, each jaw being mounted on a corresponding guide for vertical swinging movement therewith and horizontal swinging movement relative thereto, each jaw having means normally locking the same against vertical swinging movement; and a trip mounted on the bar for vertical swinging movement downwardly to a position between the jaws to swing the same horizontally apart out of engagement with the rail and to release said locking means, said trip being disposed for engagement and downward actuation by the wheel after the latter rolls onto the bar and before the wheel abuts the head.

2. A railway skate comprising a skid bar adapted to slide along a rail when a car wheel rolls thereupon and having an opstanding head against which the wheel abuts; a rst and a second pair of opposed guides normally embracing the rail, each guide being mounted on the bar for vertical swinging movement; a clamp including a pair of opposed jaws normally embracing the rail, and resilient means yieldably holding the jaws clamped against the rail, each jaw being mounted on a corresponding guide of said first pair thereof for vertical swinging movement therewith and horizontal swinging movement relative thereto, each jaw having means normally loc-king the same with a corresponding guide of said second pair thereof to hold the guides and the jaws against Vertical swinging movement; and a trip mounted on the bar for vertical swinging movement downwardly to a position between the jaws to swing the same horizontally apart out of engagement with lthe rail, and to release said locking means, said trip being disposed for engagement and downward actuation by the wheel after the latter rolls onto the bar and before the wheel abuts the head.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein each pair of guides is provided with means yieldably holding the same against vertical movement upon release of said locking means.

4. A railway skate comprising a skid bar adapted to slide along a rail when a car wheel rolls thereupon and having an upstanding head against which the wheel abuts; a rst and a second pair of opposed guides normally embracing the rail, each guide being mounted on the bar for vertical swinging movement; a clamp including a pair of opposed jaws normally embracing the rail, and

resilient means yieldably holding the jaws clamped against the rail, each jaw being mounted on a corresponding guide of said first pair thereof for vertical swinging movement therewith and horizontal swinging movement relative thereto, each jaw having means normally locking the same with a corresponding guide of said second pair thereof and means normally locking the same with said head to hold the guides and the jaws against vertical swinging movement; and a trip mounted on the bar for vertical swinging movement downwardly to a position between the jaws to swing the same horizontally apart out of engagement with the rail, and to release said locking means, said trip being disposed for engagement and downward actuation by the wheel after the latter rolls onto the bar and before the wheel abuts the head.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein each pair of guides is provided with spring-loaded ratchet means yieldably holding the same against vertical movement upon release of said locking means.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein each guide of said rst pair thereof is interlocked with the corresponding jaw to restrain the last-mentioned guides from swinging separately from the jaws.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein each guide has means on the bar restraining the same against lateral movement as the same swing vertically.

8. A railway skate comprising a skid bar adapted to slide along a rail when a car wheel rolls thereupon and having an upstanding head against which the wheel abuts;

a pair of opposed guides normally embracing the rail,

each guide being mounted'on the bar for vertical swinging movement; a clamp including a pair of opposed jaws normally embracing the rail, and resilient means yieldably holding the jaws clamped against the rail, each jaw being mounted on a corresponding guide for vertical swinging movement therewith and horizontal swinging movement relative thereto; and a trip mounted on the bar for vertical swinging movement downwardly to a position between the jaws to swing the same horizontally apart out of engagement with the rail, said trip being disposed for engagement and downward actuation by the wheel after the latter rolls onto the bar and before the wheel abuts the head, each guide being interlocked with the corresponding jaw to restrain the guides from swinging separately from the jaws.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein each guide is provided with means yieldably holding the same against vertical movement upon release of said locking means.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 519,624 Barthelmess May 8, 1894 FOREIGN PATENTS 340,175 France May 5,1904 162,003 Germany July 10, 1905 

